We’re only halfway through the year and already DOZENS upon DOZENS of songs have dropped. This list is going to look really long but somehow it’s only a fraction of what’s been released. Based solely off of my many years of listening to music, personal preference, and vibes, these are my favorite songs that have been released so far this year.
“Marble Arch” - Erin LeCount
An absolute masterpiece. I’ve had it on repeat since it dropped because it is just immaculate. Erin is an artist that has never disappointed me with any of her releases. I could add every single song she’s released this year, which is several, because they’re all just that good. At least in my opinion.
“Marble Arch” discusses the reality of feeling performative when connecting with others to hide the more traumatized and darker parts of ourselves in order to feel accepted in love. Erin writes bittersweet, ethereal pieces of poetry that are tragic and healing because she is able to tap into so many different layers of complex emotions.
“Caramel” - Sleep Token
Absolutely stunning. Raw emotion and vulnerability packed in between beautifully, poetic lyrics and even more incredible vocals. I saw someone call the lead singer, Vessel, the metal Hozier and I would have to agree. Sleep Token draws a lot of their inspiration from theology and mythology. A lot of their lyrical references really play into capturing an otherworldly and divine energy while the intricate and sometimes abstract instrumentals are what initially captivate listeners.
“Caramel” seems to discuss the ways that sometimes the sweetest things in life can be our biggest downfalls. The same way that caramel is sweet and tasty and can make desserts look so beautiful but it’s also sticky and, when heated up, can cause a lot of pain when we get too close. The way that this song builds the expression of emotions reminds me of what it truly means to stuff your emotions down until they erupt. This song starts out slower paced and over the course of nearly five minutes, builds until it hits a big display of loud emotions before quickly dropping into that exhaustion that hits afterwards.
“past life” - Ariana Grande
Out of all of Ariana’s songs from her deluxe drop of eternal sunshine, “past life” has to be my absolute favorite. She has a lot of beautiful songs on this album but this one really drew my attention. The vocals and beat are really fun and catchy with some hints of R&B that complement the pop elements. The lyrics do well to show her heartbreak and the way that she turns all of that pain into something so stunning is admirable. The way that the music completely drops out during the beginning of the bridge and slowly builds back up with these beautiful harmonies that brings us back to the original melody is so mesmerizing. Truly such a beautiful song.
“Crybaby” - SZA
This song is so relatable and SZA’s vocals are beautiful, per usual. The key theme of self-accountability is something that everyone could learn and I love the playful way that SZA encapsulates that with her lyrics mixed with a softer, R&B melody. She discusses the ways that she could approach relationships differently and owns up to the faults she has towards relationships. This feels like a healing letter to herself and I know a lot of listeners really resonated with this song.
“WASH” - Jon Bellion
Jon went on a hiatus from making albums for 7 years just to come back and drop this artistic masterpiece. Jon is such a legend in the music scene and an even more incredible visionary and mastermind when creating. This song feels like a spiritual awakening, a rebirth, a whole trip and a half. He’s always had a way with putting so much soul into his music that is difficult to replicate because it’s not a musical element that can be taught. And that’s what this song is, soul expressed on a canvas that is a melody.
For anyone unfamiliar with Jon. He has written for some of the biggest names in the industry: Justin Bieber, Jungkook, Zedd, Katy Perry, Halsey, Eminem. The list goes on. He is just incredible and versatile and I’m so happy to see that he found his passion for creating again so that we can experience songs like this from him, again.
“Supermodels” - South Arcade
This song sounds and feels exactly how early 2000s punk music did. There’s no other way to explain it. But, I’m so glad I found South Arcade because being able to find that Y2K nostalgia with newly released bangers like these was so refreshing and fun. This song is a great way to ensure you have a good day because it instantly puts you in a good mood. You’ll want to blare this in your car with the windows down, screaming at the top of your lungs. Guaranteed.
“like JENNIE” - JENNIE
I actually wasn’t sure what to expect from Jennie’s solo work. I had really only heard her perform in BLACKPINK so I wasn’t very familiar with what her independent projects would sound like. From start to finish, this song is a banger. It makes me feel like a baddie, the choreography is really cool, and it’s so catchy. It has an element of afro-beat to it that makes it really fun and gives it some “pop” to it. Not like pop music but in the way that the beats are really defined and sharp. This is such a fun listen and great for car rides.
“Get To You” - Alessia Cara
I haven’t heard Alessia’s music in a minute and this was a nice reintroduction. It had pop elements mixed with some rock-alternative which made it fun. This is such an easy-listen song and sounds like it could be in a cute, romcom movie.
“Savannah” - Jensen McRae
If I had to describe this song in one word, it would be endearing. She puts a southern twist on an indie-folk tune that is just so mesmerising. This song was a hit on Tik Tok, at least on my FYP it was. There’s a certain level of sophisticated angst that exists throughout the whole song and Jensen’s makes the story she’s telling just so much more captivating.
“Bittersweet” - Emma Foley
Emma has such a coming-of-age vibe to her music that is highlighted by her storytelling abilities. She layers expressive lyrics with soft and angelic vocals to create really compelling songs.
“Twenties” - GIVEON
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a sucker for R&B. And this song adds in a blues or even jazz vibe which makes it sounds timeless. Givēon is so gifted and his voice is what really draws you in. He has so much vocal control and the confidence to play with runs and melodies. In its entirety, this song is actually quite simplistic. There’s nothing over-the-top about it. It’s not filled with layers and layers of instrumental and vocals. Just a simple instrumental with the main vocal track and alluring harmonies to tie it all together.
“Hound’s Teeth” - Mack Lorén
The selling point of this song is the single line, “As long as I’m held, I don’t care if it's by teeth.” When I first heard that, I was left speechless, as any good line of poetry should do. However, the whole song is so stunning. All of the lyrics are really gut wrenching as they help depict a narrative of accepting love in any form no matter how much it harms us because one of the toughest lessons in life is learning when to let go.
“Truce” - Hailey Knox
Here’s another R&B inspired song that I instantly fell in love with. Hailey’s vocals and the progression of the song is so smooth. This is another song I found on Tik Tok that was an instant-add for me. Just so, so good.
